Whitemarsh Township Bans Single-Use Plastics

WHITEMARSH TOWNSHIP, PA — Whitemarsh Township has joined a growing number of Montgomery County muncipalities leading the way on banning single-use plastics and protecting the environment from one of the world's most notorious pollutants.

Whitemarsh's ban will go into place on Oct. 11. They join Upper Merion, Lower Merion, and Upper Moreland in passing a ban within the past several weeks.

"The Pennsylvania Constitution...provides that people have the right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic, and esthetic values of the environment," Whitemarsh Township supervisors wrote in the new ordinance. "Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come."

Paper bags will replace plastic, and reusable bags will be promoted.

Whitemarsh officials pointed to plastic bags clogging storm drains, worsening flooding, as well as other ecological harms.

"The use of single-use bags has severe environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, litter, harm to wildlife, ground level ozone formation, atmospheric acidification, water consumption, and solid waste generation," the ordinance adds.

Plastic bags will remain allowed in special circumstances, like wrapping meat or fish, the transportation of live insects fish from pet stores, prepackaging for candy and other items, and carrying bulk items like produce, grains, and nuts.

Fines for violations are $50 the first time, $100 the second time, and $200 the third time.

In 2018, nearby Narberth became the first Pennsylvania municipality to pass the measure. Counting Whitemarsh, there are now 21 municipalities statewide that have enacted bans.